Two recent Clearinghouse webinars – on early intervention in psychosis services and on criminal justice issues, respectively – are now available online! In “Peer Leadership in Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) Services: From Program Development to Outcome Evaluation,” the presenters discussed both the real-world challenges of robust peer involvement and the potential for such involvement to transform – rather than merely augment – services across the domains of planning, service delivery, policy, and evaluation. The topics covered in “How Do We Create a Truly Just Criminal Justice System for Everyone, Including Individuals with Mental Health Conditions?” include the movement for social justice whose goal is to cut the incarceration rate in half by 2030 while reducing crime; how to support individuals with mental health conditions who are incarcerated and how to help them transition successfully into the community; and diversion models to prevent or minimize incarceration. “Peer Leadership in Early Intervention in Psychosis Services” is available here; “How Do We Create a Truly Just Criminal Justice System for Everyone…” is available here.

Join the March for Dignity and Change in Mental Health on August 24, 2015, in DC!

Destination Dignity is organizing a march for the dignity and human rights of individuals with mental health conditions. Among its demands are to safeguard the human rights of individuals with mental health conditions, to promote their valued place in the community, and to ensure that they receive the right kind of help when and where they need it and want it. “The Destination Dignity March will bring together people from around the nation and the world, with individuals affected by mental health conditions in the lead, to create energy and solidarity for a more supportive nation,” the organizers say. It will begin with a kick-off rally at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 400 New Jersey Avenue NW, at 11 a.m., followed by a march on the National Mall, gathering at noon at 3rd Street and Madison Drive NW. For more information: Facebook.com/MHDignityMarch, @MHDignityMarch, #MHDignityMarch, www.DestinationDignity.org. Questions? Writedignitymarch@mentalhealthsf.org

GAINS Center to Host Two Webinars on Successful Use of Peer Support in State Prisons

SAMHSA’s GAINS Center and the Association of State Correctional Administrators are hosting a two-part webinar series focusing on peer support in state correctional facilities: “Attendees will learn about the innovative use of peers and successful collaborations between correctional facilities and peer-operated programs in providing a wide array of reentry services. The first webinar will highlight three exemplary programs and the second will focus on how to develop, implement, fund, sustain and expand these programs in state correctional facilities.” Part I will be held on August 20, 2015; Part 2 will take place on Sept. 11, 2015. Both 90-minute webinars will begin at 3 p.m. ET. For more information and to register, click here.

Summer Recovery to Practice (RTP) Webinar Series Begins Today!

SAMHSA is offering a series of 12 webinars, from July 27 through September 3, which will make Recovery To Practice – a SAMHSA initiative that “supports the expansion and integration of recovery-oriented care delivered by mental health providers” – accessible to all behavioral and general health practitioners working in multidisciplinary and integrated practice settings. All events will be held from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, and all will be recorded for future access. For the dates and topics and/or to register, click here.

A Webinar on “Improving Health through Trauma-Informed Care” Will Take Place Tomorrow!

On July 28, 2015, at 2 p.m. ET, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is sponsoring a webinar, targeted at treatment providers, on “Improving Health Through Trauma-Informed Care.” “How can you embed trauma-informed approaches into the practice of your integrated primary care clinic?” SAMHSA writes. “Join this webinar to walk through what a trauma-informed clinic looks like and simple steps you can take to ensure your services and clinic environment are trauma-informed.” Among the presenters are Leah Harris, trauma-informed care specialist and coordinator of consumer affairs for the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, and Mary Blake, public health advisor at SAMHSA. To register and for more information, including SAMHSA’s primer on trauma-informed care, click here.

NEC to Sponsor Webinar on Evaluation of Peer Programs on August 5

A 90-minute webinar presented by the National Empowerment Center on “We Are the Evidence: Evaluation of Peer Programs” will take place on August 5, 2015, at 2 p.m. ET. The presenters are Jean Campbell, PhD, who helped establish Consumer-Operated Service Programs (COSPs) as evidence-based practices; Laysha Ostrow, PhD, of Live and Learn; and Bevin Croft, MPP, of Human Services Research Institute (HSRI). The webinar will stress the importance of good evaluation of peer programs, offer helpful tips, and use peer respites as a case study. Click here to register.

Two videos and corresponding tip sheets for behavioral health providers have recently been produced by the Lewin Group in partnership with the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office (MMCO), which is part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). These products describe success stories of peer support staff, and advise organizations on how they can best use peer support staff to improve their care delivery. For the videos, click here and here. If you have any questions, please contact brigit.kyei-baffour@lewin.com, 703-269-5762.

“Our Stories, Our Lives” Seeks Stories about What Helps and What Hurts Recovery

Recovery Now! – composed of people in recovery, advocates, family members of individuals with mental health conditions, and concerned community members – is looking for stories about what helped people recover and what set them back in their recovery journey. “Far too often, people with mental health and substance use conditions are portrayed in negative ways in the media, which contributes to stereotypes and discrimination. The ‘Our Stories, Our Lives’ project seeks to gather and share stories of triumph and struggle from everyday people living with mental health and substance use conditions, to help shift the public perception towards recovery and hope.” To contribute your story, click here.

Three Surveys Are Recruiting Participants, Including Students, Other Youth, and Professionals

Three surveys (two in the U.S. and one in the U.K.) are recruiting participants. First, the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion of Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities is seeking to learn more about how to support students with mental health issues to help them succeed in school. “Students who enroll in the study may have a chance to work with someone who will help them to set goals related to their education, relationships, mental health and campus life, and receive encouragement and support to achieve their goals,” the researchers say. For more information, click here, contact kpizz@temple.edu or go directly to the survey byclicking here. The second survey, by the Copeland Center, involves seeking the opinions of youth between the ages of 14 and 30 for a proposed youth documentary “to be used nationally for the advancement and expansion of wellness strategies.” For the survey, which will be open until August 31, 2015, click here. For more information, write Letty Elenes at lelenes25@gmail.com. The third opportunity involves a study that is recruiting “people working or studying in the field of mental health or mental health research.” This study, entitled “Professionals’ Understanding of Mental Health Problems,” is examining how such individuals “understand mental health problems (for example, depression and anxiety).” For more information, click here.

How to Stop the Overuse of Jails for Individuals with Mental Health Conditions

A new white paper from Policy Research Associates “examines factors contributing to the incarceration of people with serious mental illness and approaches to reform. Redesigning financial incentives for institutions, integrating state and local requirements and opportunities, and creating a skilled and adequately sized workforce in local justice systems are identified as priority areas. The report also points to the importance of coordination among health care, community, and justice organizations to establish practices and protocols” to help individuals with mental health conditions. For more information and to download a free copy of the report – “When Political Will Is Not Enough: Jails, Communities, and Persons with Mental Health Disorders” – click here.

“Medicaid at 50: Its Impact in Your State”

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) has analyzed state-by-state data on how Medicaid improves access to health care for millions of families and individuals, and has provided a map so that everyone can learn more about what Medicaid is doing in their state. For example, in California, which has the largest population of any state, 28 percent of individuals with disabilities received access to critical care through Medicaid that helped them live independently. In Wyoming, the state with the smallest population, the corresponding figure is 18 percent. CBPP, a nonpartisan research and policy institute founded in 1981, pursue[s] federal and state policies designed both to reduce poverty and inequality and to restore fiscal responsibility in equitable and effective ways. To find out the impact of Medicaid in your state, click here.

Thanks, Leah Harris (@LeahIda)

Higher Education Can Transform the Lives of Individuals with Criminal Justice Histories

“Higher Education and Reentry: The Gifts They Bring,” a study by researchers at CUNY Graduate Center, “considers a number of important questions: What does it take for people with criminal justice histories to successfully transform the trajectory of their lives? What are the obstacles they face? What affirmative steps can we take to make our public and private colleges and universities more welcoming to this growing population of students?” For the press release and complete document, click here. According to a report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics in 2006, “At midyear 2005…56% of State prisoners, 45% of Federal prisoners, and 64% of jail inmates” had a mental health problem. For the BJS report, click here.

Thanks, @RiversideHouse

Registration Is Open for Alternatives 2015!

The planning is in high gear for Alternatives 2015, the 29th annual national conference organized by and for individuals with lived experience of a mental health condition! To view an inspirational video about the goals and themes of the conference, click here. To register, click here. (The organizers, Peerlink National Technical Assistance Center, write that scholarships from SAMHSA are never guaranteed and haven't been announced yet for 2015. “We encourage everyone to utilize local partnerships, fundraising and other strategies for conference attendance. Updates regarding the availability of any scholarships with pertinent information will be posted here, and announced on Facebook and [the] Peerlink website. We will also be posting helpful information and tools to help you in your fundraising efforts very soon!”)

On July 15, the National Academy of Medicine released a plan to ensure that evidence-based psychosocial interventions are routinely used in clinical practice and made a part of clinical training for mental health professionals. “Psychosocial interventions are a huge component of how mental and substance use disorders are treated,” said an author of the report. “Yet they have been largely left out of health care reform. This report [“Psychosocial Interventions for Mental and Substance Use Disorders”] describes how to incorporate these interventions into the mainstream, outlining how treatment decisions can be made at both a clinical and policy level, to increase the likelihood that people will receive evidence-based care.” To download a copy of the “Report in Brief,” click here. For more information, click here.

Thanks, Leah Harris (@LeahIda)

SAMHSA Offers Recovery Month Toolkit

National Recovery Month (Recovery Month) is a national observance held every September to educate Americans that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with a mental and/or substance use disorder to live a healthy and rewarding life. Each year, Recovery Month creates a toolkit to help individuals and organizations increase awareness of the power of recovery. The kit provides tips and resources for planning Recovery Month events and distributing information in communities across the nation. For the complete 2015 Recovery Month Toolkit in English, click here. For the Spanish-language version, click here.

NCD Progress Report Celebrates 25 Years of ADA, Envisions Next 25

In recognition of the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the National Council on Disability has dedicated the 2015 edition of its annual progress report – “National Disability Policy: A Progress Report” – “to exploring how the ADA and other federal legislation has been put into practice by five specific state and local agencies….The report focuses on employment, education, health care, transportation, and housing, and demonstrates the impact of federal legislation and the critical role that disability advocates and state and local officials have played who translate the spirit and letter of the ADA and other federal legislation into practice. It also lays out NCD’s vision for the next 25 years of the ADA with specific policy recommendations.” To download the free report, click here.

Thanks, Howard Trachtman

The Semicolon Project Offers Hope to Those with Behavioral Health Conditions

“Thousands of people across the globe are getting semicolons tattooed on their bodies in a bid to raise awareness about mental health,” according to a UK publication. “The simple punctuation mark – used to divide sentence clauses – has been adopted by the non-profit group ‘Semicolon Project’ (www.projectsemicolon.com) to help raise awareness over depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicide. The organization hopes that persuading people to have semicolon tattoos – permanent or temporary – will help break down the stigma associated with mental illness.” To read more, click here.

Next National Technical Assistance and Networking Teleconference Will Be Held on August 17

On Monday, August 17, 2015 – at 1 p.m. ET, noon CT, 11 a.m. MT, 10 a.m. PT, 7 a.m. in Hawaii – the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse will host its monthly one-hour national technical assistance and networking teleconference. The call-in number is 866-906-0123; the pass code is 5037195#. If you would like to suggest an agenda item, please write to Susan Rogers at srogers@mhasp.org with the word “Agenda” in the subject line. (The calls are held on the third Monday of the month except when that is a holiday, such as in January and February, in which case they are held on the fourth Monday.) Join us on August 17 at 1 p.m. ET! Again, the call-in number is 866-906-0123. The passcode is 5037195.

Consumer-Driven Services Directory

The Clearinghouse welcomes all programs in which consumers play a significant role in leadership and operation to apply for inclusion in its Directory of Consumer-Driven Services. The directory, accessible athttp://www.cdsdirectory.org, is searchable by location, type of organization, and targeted clientele, and serves as a free resource for consumers, program administrators and researchers. Apply online athttp://www.cdsdirectory.org/database/cds.php, via fax at 215-636-6312, or by phone at 800-553-4KEY (4539). To receive an application by mail, write to info@cdsdirectory.org or NMHCSH Clearinghouse, 1211 Chestnut Street, Suite 1100, Philadelphia, PA 19107.

]]>http://www.mhselfhelp.org/the-key-update-latest/rss-comments-entry-35426521.xmlThe Key Update, Volume 11, Number 12 - June 2015IT DepartmentTue, 23 Jun 2015 16:59:15 +0000http://www.mhselfhelp.org/the-key-update-latest/the-key-update-volume-11-number-12-june-2015-1.html784909:19275966:35384499There’s Still Time to Register for an Exciting Webinar on Criminal Justice Issues on June 25!

Three prominent experts in criminal justice issues will present a free 90-minute webinar on Thursday, June 25, at 2 p.m. ET. Among the topics to be covered by this webinar – which is sponsored by the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion – will be the movement for social justice whose goal is to cut the incarceration rate in half by 2030 while reducing crime; how to support individuals with mental health conditions who are incarcerated and how to help them transition successfully into the community; and diversion models to prevent or minimize incarceration, including the Nathaniel Project, the first alternative-to-incarceration program in Manhattan Supreme Court for adults with serious mental health conditions convicted of felony offenses. The presenters are Glenn E. Martin,founder and president of JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA); Dan Abreu, MS CRC LMHC, a senior project associate at Policy Resource Associates; and Ann-Marie Louison, the co-founder of the Nathaniel Project. For more information and to register, click here.

Stand Up for Human Rights by Signing the ByberryDeclaration for Human Rights of Persons with Mental Health Conditions

For half a millennium, individuals with mental health conditions were warehoused in institutions in an unbroken line that stretches from Bedlam (the infamous Bethlem Royal Hospital in London) to Byberry (the name by which the notorious Philadelphia State Hospital was known). June 2015 marks the 25th anniversary of the closure of Byberry. To affirm the Byberry Declaration for Human Rights of Persons with Mental Health Conditions with your signature, click here.

Free Manual for Eliminating Barriers for Individuals with Forensic Histories Is Available

The Center for American Progress recently published One Strike and You’re Out: How We Can Eliminate Barriers to Economic Security and Mobility for People with Criminal Records. According to the guide, “One recent study finds that our nation’s poverty rate would have dropped by 20 percent between 1980 and 2004 if not for mass incarceration and the subsequent criminal records that haunt people for years after they have paid their debt to society.” In addition, they write, “people are treated as criminals long after they pose any significant risk of committing further crimes – making it difficult for many to move on with their lives and achieve basic economic security, let alone have a shot at upward mobility.” The guide provides recommendations for increasing opportunities for individuals with criminal records in the areas of employment, housing, public assistance, education and training, and economic security and financial empowerment. The manual is available for free download by clicking here.

Harvard University researchers are seeking a better understanding of important factors that influence staff and service-user satisfaction within acute psychiatric wards. Co-investigator Morgan Shields, a student at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, writes: “If you have experienced being a patient within an acute psychiatric unit, I would appreciate it if you would participate in a series of questionnaires available by clicking here. The questionnaires will take about 20 minutes to complete….Participants will be entered into a raffle to win a $25 gift certificate. All responses will be kept anonymous.” Participants in the Boston area may be contacted for a follow-up interview, but participation in such an interview is not required. The deadline for the study, which is being conducted under the auspices of Massachusetts General Hospital, is September 15, 2015. Questions? Please contact Morgan Shields at Morgan.Shields@mail.harvard.edu.

“Career Services Guide” Is Offered to Help Employment Counselors Assist People with Mental Health Issues

The Canadian Education and Research Institute for Counseling (CERIC) is offering a free guide intended for career service workers, employment counselors and career practitioners working in non-mental-health-specific employment settings. CERIC writes that the guide “builds on emerging ‘best practices’ in employment support, recovery-oriented practices, and draws on the wisdom of experts in the field of career counselling and the ‘experiential expertise’ of people who access counselling services. Featuring five chapters, the guide, along with supporting videos, will help practitioners to consider beliefs that may limit opportunity, build awareness of recovery-oriented practices, and acquire the skills needed to better serve the one in five …who experience mental health issues.” For more information, click here. To download the free guide, click here.

The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is offering a fellowship to an emerging or established writer working on a nonfiction project concentrating on mental health issues, focusing particularly on recovery from, and reconstructing aspects of a healthy life while living with, mental health challenges. The Fellowship entitles the recipient to a two-week stay at the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow. Each resident has a private suite with writing space, private bath, bedroom and wireless Internet. The residency provides uninterrupted writing time, with dinner prepared and served five nights a week, and breakfast and lunch supplies available. Residents also share the camaraderie of other professional writers and artists when they want it. Fellowship applications, which must be accompanied by two references and a non-refundable $35 application fee, must be postmarked by July 31, 2015. Click here to apply online. The recipient will be announced in early September. Residencies must be completed by July 31, 2016. For more information, please contact Jill Slane at (479) 244-6054.

Hearing Is Held on the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act (HR 2646)

On June 16, 2015, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on HR 2646, the 2015 version of the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, sponsored by Rep. Tim Murphy, who introduced an earlier version in 2013 (HR 3717). Among those who testified were Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds, former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, Mental Health America president Paul Gionfriddo, and New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services executive director Harvey Rosenthal. The archived hearing, along with links to everyone’s written testimony, is available online. The bill, available here, would have a major impact on individuals with mental health conditions, and it is important to keep abreast of developments. Among those who have commented (including outside of the hearing) are the Bazelon Center (click here), former Rep. Patrick Kennedy (click here) and the National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery (click here).

Thanks, Jeremy Countryman

ProPublica Invites You to Steal Their Stories. No, Really!

ProPublica, an award-winning source of “Journalism in the Public Interest,” writes that, “Unless otherwise noted, you can republish our articles and graphics for free.” It’s true that there are a few hoops to jump through and a few restrictions. For example, they write, “You have to credit us — ideally in the byline. We prefer ‘Author Name, ProPublica.’” Also, “if you’re republishing online, you have to link to us and to include all of the links from our story, as well as our PixelPing tag.” And “you cannot republish our photographs or illustrations without specific permission (ask our Communications Director Nicole Collins Bronzan if you’d like to).” But it’s still a very generous offer! The rules are available here.

New Publication on Trauma-Informed Care for Youth and Young Adults Is Available

Pathways Research and Training Center at Portland State University in Oregon has published Trauma-Informed Care, a 40-page magazine with a variety of articles focusing on “Youth, Young Adults and Mental Health.” “It is estimated that nearly half of all youth in the United States have been exposed to at least one adverse childhood experience, and that the occurrence of multiple trauma exposures is common within specific populations,” the Introduction notes. Among the articles are “The Impact of Toxic Stress on the Developing Person: Becoming a Trauma-Informed Service Provider,” “Through a Darker Lens: The Trauma of Racism in Communities of Color,” “Trauma Informed Method of Engagement (TIME) for Youth Advocacy,” and “SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach in Youth Settings.” The publication is available for free download by clicking here.

National Survey Provides Comprehensive Look at Employment of Individuals with Disabilities

On June 3, 2015, the Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire (UNH) unveiled the results of the Kessler Foundation 2015 National Employment and Disability Survey on Capitol Hill. The survey, which was conducted by UNH, identifies strategies that Americans with disabilities use to search for work and navigate barriers, accommodations that are helpful to obtain and maintain employment, and factors that contribute to unemployment. According to the Kessler Foundation website, this is “the first national survey to examine the workplace experiences of people with disabilities and identify successful strategies that people with disabilities have used to find and maintain employment….The survey revealed that more than 68 percent of people with disabilities are striving to work….Importantly, Americans with disabilities are also overcoming barriers to employment, such as not enough education or training, employers assuming that they cannot do the job, lack of transportation, and family discouragement.” For more information, click here. The executive summary is available here; the full report is available here. More than 3,000 individuals with disabilities nationwide were surveyed between October 2014 and April 2015, according to an article in The New York Times, available here.

Facebook Group Established to Honor Late Leaders of the C/S/X Movement for Social Justice

A public Facebook group has been created to commemorate leaders of the c/s/x movement for social justice who have died. The group, Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, was created by Jennifer Constantine, executive director of South Dakota United for Hope and Recovery, South Dakota’s statewide peer-run organization. She writes, “This is meant to be a place to honor the memory of those who have passed, and to share the wisdom we gained through connection with them.” The group, which is open to everyone, is available at this link.

AP Stylebook Adopts New Guidelines for Writing about Suicide

The Associated Press stylebook, which many consider the journalist’s bible, has issued new rules for covering suicide. The new guidelines ban the phrase “committed suicide” in favor of using “killed himself, took her own life or died by suicide.” The guidelines note that “generally, AP does not cover suicides or suicide attempts, unless the person involved is a well-known figure or the circumstances are particular unusual or publicly disruptive. Suicide stories, when written, should not go into detail on methods used….” The guidelines have garnered some criticism: One blogger wrote that “the policy of not covering suicides codifies an ongoing and puzzling refusal by news media to deal with suicide as a health and education issue in the belief that to mention a suicide, the second-leading cause of death of Minnesota young people, is to encourage more suicides.” However, the revisions have been embraced by the American Copy Editors Society, whose president noted, “These changes to the Stylebook are a good reminder that editors of all kinds need to keep sensitivity at the top of the editing checklist.”

Next National Technical Assistance and Networking Teleconference Will Be Held on July 20

On Monday, July 20, 2015 – at 1 p.m. ET, noon CT, 11 a.m. MT, 10 a.m. PT, 7 a.m. in Hawaii – the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse will host its monthly one-hour national technical assistance and networking teleconference. The call-in number is 866-906-0123; the pass code is 5037195#. If you plan to participate, it would be helpful if you would email Susan Rogers at srogers@mhasp.org; this will make it easier to provide the participants with teleconference minutes. Thanks! If you would like a copy of any of the available minutes, please write to srogers@mhasp.org with the word “Minutes” in the subject line. (The calls are held on the third Monday of the month except when that is a holiday, such as in January and February, in which case they are held on the fourth Monday.) Join us on July 20 at 1 p.m. ET! Again, the call-in number is 866-906-0123. The passcode is 5037195.

Consumer-Driven Services Directory

The Clearinghouse welcomes all programs in which consumers play a significant role in leadership and operation to apply for inclusion in its Directory of Consumer-Driven Services. The directory, accessible athttp://www.cdsdirectory.org, is searchable by location, type of organization, and targeted clientele, and serves as a free resource for consumers, program administrators and researchers. Apply online athttp://www.cdsdirectory.org/database/cds.php, via fax at 215-636-6312, or by phone at 800-553-4KEY (4539). To receive an application by mail, write to info@cdsdirectory.org or NMHCSH Clearinghouse, 1211 Chestnut Street, Suite 1100, Philadelphia, PA 19107.

There’s Still Time to Register for an Exciting Webinar on Criminal Justice Issues on June 25!

Three prominent experts in criminal justice issues will present a free 90-minute webinar on Thursday, June 25, at 2 p.m. ET. Among the topics to be covered by this webinar – which is sponsored by the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse and the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion – will be the movement for social justice whose goal is to cut the incarceration rate in half by 2030 while reducing crime; how to support individuals with mental health conditions who are incarcerated and how to help them transition successfully into the community; and diversion models to prevent or minimize incarceration, including the Nathaniel Project, the first alternative-to-incarceration program in Manhattan Supreme Court for adults with serious mental health conditions convicted of felony offenses. The presenters are Glenn E. Martin,founder and president of JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA); Dan Abreu, MS CRC LMHC, a senior project associate at Policy Resource Associates; and Ann-Marie Louison, the co-founder of the Nathaniel Project. For more information and to register, click here.

Stand Up for Human Rights by Signing the ByberryDeclaration for Human Rights of Persons with Mental Health Conditions

For half a millennium, individuals with mental health conditions were warehoused in institutions in an unbroken line that stretches from Bedlam (the infamous Bethlem Royal Hospital in London) to Byberry (the name by which the notorious Philadelphia State Hospital was known). June 2015 marks the 25th anniversary of the closure of Byberry. To affirm the Byberry Declaration for Human Rights of Persons with Mental Health Conditions with your signature, click here.

Free Manual for Eliminating Barriers for Individuals with Forensic Histories Is Available

The Center for American Progress recently published One Strike and You’re Out: How We Can Eliminate Barriers to Economic Security and Mobility for People with Criminal Records. According to the guide, “One recent study finds that our nation’s poverty rate would have dropped by 20 percent between 1980 and 2004 if not for mass incarceration and the subsequent criminal records that haunt people for years after they have paid their debt to society.” In addition, they write, “people are treated as criminals long after they pose any significant risk of committing further crimes – making it difficult for many to move on with their lives and achieve basic economic security, let alone have a shot at upward mobility.” The guide provides recommendations for increasing opportunities for individuals with criminal records in the areas of employment, housing, public assistance, education and training, and economic security and financial empowerment. The manual is available for free download by clicking here.

Harvard University researchers are seeking a better understanding of important factors that influence staff and service-user satisfaction within acute psychiatric wards. Co-investigator Morgan Shields, a student at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, writes: “If you have experienced being a patient within an acute psychiatric unit, I would appreciate it if you would participate in a series of questionnaires available by clicking here. The questionnaires will take about 20 minutes to complete….Participants will be entered into a raffle to win a $25 gift certificate. All responses will be kept anonymous.” Participants in the Boston area may be contacted for a follow-up interview, but participation in such an interview is not required. The deadline for the study, which is being conducted under the auspices of Massachusetts General Hospital, is September 15, 2015. Questions? Please contact Morgan Shields at Morgan.Shields@mail.harvard.edu.

“Career Services Guide” Is Offered to Help Employment Counselors Assist People with Mental Health Issues

The Canadian Education and Research Institute for Counseling (CERIC) is offering a free guide intended for career service workers, employment counselors and career practitioners working in non-mental-health-specific employment settings. CERIC writes that the guide “builds on emerging ‘best practices’ in employment support, recovery-oriented practices, and draws on the wisdom of experts in the field of career counselling and the ‘experiential expertise’ of people who access counselling services. Featuring five chapters, the guide, along with supporting videos, will help practitioners to consider beliefs that may limit opportunity, build awareness of recovery-oriented practices, and acquire the skills needed to better serve the one in five …who experience mental health issues.” For more information, click here. To download the free guide, click here.

The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is offering a fellowship to an emerging or established writer working on a nonfiction project concentrating on mental health issues, focusing particularly on recovery from, and reconstructing aspects of a healthy life while living with, mental health challenges. The Fellowship entitles the recipient to a two-week stay at the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow. Each resident has a private suite with writing space, private bath, bedroom and wireless Internet. The residency provides uninterrupted writing time, with dinner prepared and served five nights a week, and breakfast and lunch supplies available. Residents also share the camaraderie of other professional writers and artists when they want it. Fellowship applications, which must be accompanied by two references and a non-refundable $35 application fee, must be postmarked by July 31, 2015. Click here to apply online. The recipient will be announced in early September. Residencies must be completed by July 31, 2016. For more information, please contact Jill Slane at (479) 244-6054.

Hearing Is Held on the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act (HR 2646)

On June 16, 2015, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on HR 2646, the 2015 version of the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act, sponsored by Rep. Tim Murphy, who introduced an earlier version in 2013 (HR 3717). Among those who testified were Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds, former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, Mental Health America president Paul Gionfriddo, and New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services executive director Harvey Rosenthal. The archived hearing, along with links to everyone’s written testimony, is available online. The bill, available here, would have a major impact on individuals with mental health conditions, and it is important to keep abreast of developments. Among those who have commented (including outside of the hearing) are the Bazelon Center (click here), former Rep. Patrick Kennedy (click here) and the National Coalition for Mental Health Recovery (click here).

Thanks, Jeremy Countryman

ProPublica Invites You to Steal Their Stories. No, Really!

ProPublica, an award-winning source of “Journalism in the Public Interest,” writes that, “Unless otherwise noted, you can republish our articles and graphics for free.” It’s true that there are a few hoops to jump through and a few restrictions. For example, they write, “You have to credit us — ideally in the byline. We prefer ‘Author Name, ProPublica.’” Also, “if you’re republishing online, you have to link to us and to include all of the links from our story, as well as our PixelPing tag.” And “you cannot republish our photographs or illustrations without specific permission (ask our Communications Director Nicole Collins Bronzan if you’d like to).” But it’s still a very generous offer! The rules are available here.

New Publication on Trauma-Informed Care for Youth and Young Adults Is Available

Pathways Research and Training Center at Portland State University in Oregon has published Trauma-Informed Care, a 40-page magazine with a variety of articles focusing on “Youth, Young Adults and Mental Health.” “It is estimated that nearly half of all youth in the United States have been exposed to at least one adverse childhood experience, and that the occurrence of multiple trauma exposures is common within specific populations,” the Introduction notes. Among the articles are “The Impact of Toxic Stress on the Developing Person: Becoming a Trauma-Informed Service Provider,” “Through a Darker Lens: The Trauma of Racism in Communities of Color,” “Trauma Informed Method of Engagement (TIME) for Youth Advocacy,” and “SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach in Youth Settings.” The publication is available for free download by clicking here.

National Survey Provides Comprehensive Look at Employment of Individuals with Disabilities

On June 3, 2015, the Kessler Foundation and the University of New Hampshire (UNH) unveiled the results of the Kessler Foundation 2015 National Employment and Disability Survey on Capitol Hill. The survey, which was conducted by UNH, identifies strategies that Americans with disabilities use to search for work and navigate barriers, accommodations that are helpful to obtain and maintain employment, and factors that contribute to unemployment. According to the Kessler Foundation website, this is “the first national survey to examine the workplace experiences of people with disabilities and identify successful strategies that people with disabilities have used to find and maintain employment….The survey revealed that more than 68 percent of people with disabilities are striving to work….Importantly, Americans with disabilities are also overcoming barriers to employment, such as not enough education or training, employers assuming that they cannot do the job, lack of transportation, and family discouragement.” For more information, click here. The executive summary is available here; the full report is available here. More than 3,000 individuals with disabilities nationwide were surveyed between October 2014 and April 2015, according to an article in The New York Times, available here.

Facebook Group Established to Honor Late Leaders of the C/S/X Movement for Social Justice

A public Facebook group has been created to commemorate leaders of the c/s/x movement for social justice who have died. The group, Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, was created by Jennifer Constantine, executive director of South Dakota United for Hope and Recovery, South Dakota’s statewide peer-run organization. She writes, “This is meant to be a place to honor the memory of those who have passed, and to share the wisdom we gained through connection with them.” The group, which is open to everyone, is available at this link.

AP Stylebook Adopts New Guidelines for Writing about Suicide

The Associated Press stylebook, which many consider the journalist’s bible, has issued new rules for covering suicide. The new guidelines ban the phrase “committed suicide” in favor of using “killed himself, took her own life or died by suicide.” The guidelines note that “generally, AP does not cover suicides or suicide attempts, unless the person involved is a well-known figure or the circumstances are particular unusual or publicly disruptive. Suicide stories, when written, should not go into detail on methods used….” The guidelines have garnered some criticism: One blogger wrote that “the policy of not covering suicides codifies an ongoing and puzzling refusal by news media to deal with suicide as a health and education issue in the belief that to mention a suicide, the second-leading cause of death of Minnesota young people, is to encourage more suicides.” However, the revisions have been embraced by the American Copy Editors Society, whose president noted, “These changes to the Stylebook are a good reminder that editors of all kinds need to keep sensitivity at the top of the editing checklist.”

Next National Technical Assistance and Networking Teleconference Will Be Held on July 20

On Monday, July 20, 2015 – at 1 p.m. ET, noon CT, 11 a.m. MT, 10 a.m. PT, 7 a.m. in Hawaii – the National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Clearinghouse will host its monthly one-hour national technical assistance and networking teleconference. The call-in number is 866-906-0123; the pass code is 5037195#. If you plan to participate, it would be helpful if you would email Susan Rogers at srogers@mhasp.org; this will make it easier to provide the participants with teleconference minutes. Thanks! If you would like a copy of any of the available minutes, please write to srogers@mhasp.org with the word “Minutes” in the subject line. (The calls are held on the third Monday of the month except when that is a holiday, such as in January and February, in which case they are held on the fourth Monday.) Join us on July 20 at 1 p.m. ET! Again, the call-in number is 866-906-0123. The passcode is 5037195.

Consumer-Driven Services Directory

The Clearinghouse welcomes all programs in which consumers play a significant role in leadership and operation to apply for inclusion in its Directory of Consumer-Driven Services. The directory, accessible athttp://www.cdsdirectory.org, is searchable by location, type of organization, and targeted clientele, and serves as a free resource for consumers, program administrators and researchers. Apply online athttp://www.cdsdirectory.org/database/cds.php, via fax at 215-636-6312, or by phone at 800-553-4KEY (4539). To receive an application by mail, write to info@cdsdirectory.org or NMHCSH Clearinghouse, 1211 Chestnut Street, Suite 1100, Philadelphia, PA 19107.